Samuel French Company Business Records 1847-1992 (Bulk Ca 1880-1920)

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AMHERST COLLEGE ARCHIVES AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

Samuel French Company Business Records 1847-1992 (bulk ca 1880-1920)

Summary: The Samuel French Company Business Records contain the business correspondence, contracts, and financial records accumulated by the company from the 1847-1992. The Samuel French Company published and leased plays in New York, London, and Canada, and the company’s records document their interactions with playwrights and the plays they helped distribute.

Quantity: 26.25 linear feet

Containers: 26 record storage boxes 2 oversize folders

Processed: December, 2012

By: Sara Hawran, graduate student intern, Simmons College Sara Smith, Archives and Special Collections Specialist

Finding Aid: January, 2012

Access: There is no restriction on access to the Samuel French Company Business Records for research use. Particularly fragile items may be restricted for preservation purposes.

Copyright: Requests for permission to publish material from the Samuel French Company Business Records should be directed to the Archives and Special Collections. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights.

INTRODUCTION

Historical Note

The Samuel French Company, also known as the Samuel French Dramatic Publishing Co. and Samuel French & Son, is a company specializing in drama and theatre publication. The Samuel French Company works with playwrights to publish their plays and lease them for production. The company was founded in the mid-19th century by Samuel French (1821-1898) in New York. As the business expanded, Samuel French brought his son, T.H. French, into the operation, and by the 1870s Samuel French and Son had established an office in London. T.H. French was responsible for the New York office and Samuel French operated the London office (T.R. Edwards taking over at the London office after Samuel French’s death). Eventually the business would establish an office in Canada, as well, creating Samuel French (Canada) Ltd. The Samuel French Company still exists in the present day as Samuel French, Inc.

History of the Papers and Their Organization

These records were collected and maintained by the Samuel French Company. The collection is part of the M. Abbott Van Nostrand Theatre Collection, which was donated to the Amherst College Archives and Special Collections by M. Abbott Van Nostrand (AC 1934), former president of Samuel French, Inc.

Related Material at Amherst College Archives and Special Collections

• Augustin Daly published material • Samuel French Company Music Holdings • Samuel French Company Theatre Scrapbooks • Truly Yours: one hundred and fifty years of play publishing & service to the theatre, a history of Samuel French, Inc., Amherst College Archives and Special Collections, File Z325.S16.T78 1980 • M. Abbott Van Nostrand oral history interview (1994), https://www.amherst.edu/library/about/support/friends/oral_history/oral_history_intervie ws/van_nostrand

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], in the Samuel French Company Business Records [Box #, Folder #], Amherst College Archives and Special Collections, Amherst College Library.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PAPERS

Scope and Content Note

The Samuel French Company Business Records consists of 26.25 feet of business materials collected by the Samuel French Company. The records consist of account books, letter books, loose correspondence, contracts, copyright certificates, receipts, newspaper clippings, and other materials collected by the Samuel French Company. The bulk of the collection falls between the years 1880 and 1920, although there are documents spanning from 1847 to 1992. Most of the records pertain specifically to the company owned by Samuel French and his son T.H. French, but there are also a substantial amount of records pertaining to the affiliated organization the Lillian Russell Opera Company and pertaining to another theatrical manager and producer, Augustin Daly.

Organization and Arrangement

The Samuel French Business Records are arranged by material type.

The papers are organized into 3 series: 1. BOUND VOLUMES [1863-1949] 2. UNBOUND DOCUMENTS [1847-1992] 3. FRENCH FAMILY CORRESPONDENCE [1887-1891, 1902]

Series Descriptions

Series 1, BOUND VOLUMES [1884-1949], consists of account books, letter books, and other bound record books. The series is arranged chronologically, with miscellaneous subseries at the end. The volumes within each subseries are arranged chronologically. The series is divided into 7 subseries:

A: Account Books [1856-1949] B: Amateur Books [1912-1918] C: London Books [1884-1919] D: Regular Books [1904-1918] E: Press Books [1878-1931] F: Miscellaneous Bound Volumes [1863-1879] G: Miscellaneous Letter Books [1885-1916]

Account Books [1856-1949] (subseries A) contains ledgers and record books which document box office activity and other financial transactions. This subseries is divided into four sub- subseries: American Theatre Account books, Grand Opera House account books, Samuel French (Canada) Ltd. account books, and Samuel French US account books. The volumes within each subgroup are arranged chronologically.

Amateur Books [1912-1918] (subseries B) consists of letter books containing copies of correspondence relating to amateur productions.

London Books [1884-1919] (subseries C) consists of letter books that contain copies of correspondence regarding the London office of the Samuel French Company. The correspondence includes numerous letters from Thomas Henry French to his father Samuel French relating to both business and personal matters.

Regular Books [1904-1918] (subseries D) consists of letter books containing copies of correspondence sent by the Samuel French Company. The “regular books” appear to hold general outgoing business correspondence from the company’s US office.

Press Books [1878-1931] (subseries E) contains scrapbooks which document certain productions. The scrapbooks primarily contain newspaper clippings.

Miscellaneous Bound Volumes [1863-1879] (subseries F) contain the Dramatic Authors’ Society Provincial Tariff (1879) and two books of Augustin Daly copyrights (1863-1870 and 1870- 1925).

Miscellaneous Letter Books [1885-1916] (subseries G) contains several different types of letter books. The subseries is divided into two groups: special-purpose letter books and unlabeled letter books. Both groups are arranged chronologically. Special-purpose letter books include Madison Square Garden and “Officer 666” letter books. The unlabeled letter books have no specified focus. Most of them are probably general letter books, possibly precursors to the regular books. Among other topics, the unlabeled letter books contain numerous letters from Thomas Henry French to his father Samuel French relating to both business and personal matters.

Series 2, UNBOUND DOCUMENTS [1847-1992], consists of correspondence, contracts, receipts, and other business records that were not stored in bound volumes. The subseries are arranged chronologically, with miscellaneous materials at the end. The series is divided into nine subseries:

A: Augustin Daly Contracts [1872-1915] B: Play Documentation by date [1878-1968] C. Play Documentation by correspondent D: Lillian Russell Opera Company [1890-1893] E: American Theatre Company Mortgage [1892-1894] F: Events [1970-1992] G: Miscellaneous Materials [1847-1957]

Augustin Daly Contracts [1872-1915, bulk ca. 1880-1900] (subseries A) primarily contains contracts between Augustin Daly and various European playwrights and publishing firms, largely

© 2010 Amherst College Archives and Special Collections Page 4 Samuel French Company Business Records in France and Germany, giving Daly the rights to translate and perform their plays in the United States. The bulk of the contracts are between Daly and Felix Bloch, the manager of Germany’s largest publishing company. The series also contains a small amount of correspondence regarding contracts and copyright.

Play Documentation by date [1878-1968] (subseries B) contains correspondence, copyrights, contracts, and newspaper clippings corresponding to specific plays distributed by the Samuel French Company. Of special note are the plays from 1902-1903, during the time when the Samuel French Company was active in acquiring British plays to perform in the United States. The plays are arranged in chronological order by the date of the available documentation.

Play Documentation by correspondent [1896-1983] (subseries C) is a collection of letters acquired as a group in 2003, containing correspondence between Samuel French, Inc. and authors, publishers, producers and others. Arranged alphabetically by last names of correspondents. See Appendix A for list of correspondents

Lillian Russell Opera Company [1890-1893] (subseries D) consists primarily of receipts and vouchers for expenses during a tour of “La Cigale.” The subseries also contains a 1890 contract between Lillian Russell and the Samuel French Company formally establishing the opera company.

American Theatre Company Mortgage [1892-1894] (subseries E) contains vouchers, bills, receipts, and general financial information relating to the construction and mortgage of the American Theatre Company building.

Events [1970-1992] (subseries F) contains information about the American College Theatre Festival (1970), Neil Simon’s commencement speech for Hofstra University (1981), and schedules for the New Dramatists (1991-1992). The material is arranged chronologically.

Miscellaneous Materials [1847-1957] (subseries G) contains miscellaneous newspaper clippings and business records that do not connect to any other materials in the collection.

Series 3, CORRESPONDENCE [1887-1891, 1902], consists of correspondence between Samuel French, his son Thomas Henry (T.H.) French, his daughter Marie French, London branch manager Wentworth Hogg, and Thomas R. Edwards. This series is divided into 3 subseries:

A: Letters from Samuel French and Wentworth Hogg to T.H. French [1887-1891] B: Letters from Marie French to Samuel French [1887, 1890] C: Letters from T.R. Edwards to T.H. French [1889, 1902]

Letters from Samuel French to T.H. French [1887-1891] (subseries A) consists of letters that Samuel French wrote from the London office to his son and business partner, T.H. French, at the

New York office. The letters are primarily business-related, but occasionally mention personal matters. Arranged chronologically.

Letters from Marie French to Samuel French [1887-1888, 1890] (subseries B) consists of personal correspondence written from Marie to her father, Samuel French, while she was away at school.

Letters from Thomas R. Edwards to T.H. French [1902 May-Aug] (subseries C) consists primarily of letters T.R. Edwards wrote from the London office to T.H. French at the New York office. The correspondence is business-related. Arranged chronologically.

Box Volume Dates Description

Subseries A: Account Books 1 1 1893-1895 American Theatre account book

1 2 1893-1894 American Theatre box office

1 3 1894-1896 American Theatre box office

1 4 1895-1896 American Theatre ledger receipts and expenditures

34 4 1885-1896 Cumberland British Theater – “Cumberland Sheets”

3 3 1893 Garden Theatre account book

1 5 1887-1889 Grand Opera House, NY account book

1 6 1889-1890 Grand Opera House, NY account book

1 7 1890-1892 Grand Opera House, NY account book

1 8 1939-1942 Samuel French (Canada) Ltd. - General Account Book

1 9 1939-1942 Samuel French (Canada) Ltd. - Special Account Book

1 10 1939-1944 Samuel French (Canada) Ltd. - Toronto Office “Trial Balance”

1 11 1939-1944 Samuel French (Canada) Ltd. - Toronto Office “General Ledger”

30 1 1939-1946 Samuel French (Canada) Ltd. – Toronto Office “Voucher Register”

30 2 1939-1946 Samuel French (Canada) Ltd. – Toronto Office “Journal”

30 3 1939-1942 Samuel French (Canada) Ltd. – Toronto Office “Cash Disbursements, General Account”

Box Volume Dates Description

2 1 n.d. Standard Plays record book

2 2 1856-1889 Accounts for standard and minor drama

33 1 1854-1858 Account book

2 3 1857-1858 Account book

2 4 1870 Account book

2 5 1874-1877 Account book

2 6 1875-1879 Account book

31 1 1876-1878 Account book

2 7 1879-1887 Account book

2 8 1887-1905 Account book

2 9 1887-1892 Account book

2 10 1889-1890 “Little Lord Fauntleroy” tour account book

2 11 1891 Margaret Mather Co. tour account book

3 1 1891-1892 Account book

33 2 1891 Apr-1894 Apr Account book

3 2 1892-1907 Account of stock

33 3 1894 Apr-1896 Sep Account book

33 4 1896 Oct-1899 May Account book

3 4 1898-1901 Old Manuscript Book

30 5 1899 May-1902 Sep Account book

Box Volume Dates Description

3 5 1907-1909 Stock company royalties account book

3 6 1913-1916 Account book

4 1 1915 Account book

4 2 1916 Account book

33 6 1916-1917 Account book

4 3 1917 Account book

34 1 1917 Apr-1918 May Sales book

4 4 1918 Account book

4 5 1916-1920 Purchase book

4 6 1918-1919 Account book

4 7-9 1918 Sunday accounts (3 folders)

33 7 1920 Account book

34 2 1921 Account book

5 1 1922 Account book

5 2 1923-1927 Record of play publications

34 3 1924 Account book

5 3 1939-1949 Stock record-book #2

5 4 1946 George Beisser record book #1

5 5 1946 George Beisser record book #2

Subseries B: Amateur Books 6 1 1912 Mar-Aug Amateur book #7

Box Volume Dates Description

6 2 1913 Jan-May Amateur book #9

6 3 1913 Mar-May Amateur book #10

6 4 1913 Nov Amateur book #11

6 5 1913 Nov-1914 Jan Amateur book #12

6 6 1914 Jan-Mar Amateur book #13

6 7 1914 Mar-May Amateur book #14

7 1 1914 May-Oct Amateur book #15

7 2 1914 Oct-Dec Amateur book #16

28 1 1914 Dec-1915 Feb Amateur book #17

28 2 1915 Feb-Apr Amateur book #18

28 3 1915 Mar-Apr Amateur book #19

28 4 1915 Apr-Jul Amateur book #20

28 5 1915 Jul-Oct Amateur book #21

28 6 1915 Oct-Dec Amateur book #22

28 7 1915 Dec-1916 Jan Amateur book #23

28 8 1916 Jan-Feb Amateur book #24

29 1 1916 Feb-Mar Amateur book #25

29 2 1916 Mar-Apr Amateur book #26

29 3 1916 May Amateur book #27

29 4 1916 May-Jun Amateur book #28

Box Volume Dates Description

29 5 1916 Jun-Aug Amateur book #29

29 6 1916 Aug-Oct Amateur book #30

29 7 1916 Oct-Nov Amateur book #31

29 8 1916 Nov-Dec Amateur book #32

7 3 1916 Dec-1917 Jan Amateur book #33

7 4 1917 Jan-Feb Amateur book #34

7 5 1917 Feb-Mar Amateur book #35

7 6 1917 Mar Amateur book #36

7 7 1917 Mar-Apr Amateur book #37

8 1 1917 Apr Amateur book #38

8 2 1917 Apr-May Amateur book #39

8 3 1917 May-Jun Amateur book #40

8 4 1917 Jun-Aug Amateur book #41

8 5 1917 Aug-Oct Amateur book #42

8 6 1917 Oct-Dec Amateur book #43

8 7 1917 Dec-1918 Jan Amateur book #44

8 8 1918 Feb-May Amateur book #45

Subseries C: London Books 9 1 1884 May-1886 Jan London letter-book

9 2 1885 May-1886 Aug London letter-book

Box Volume Dates Description

9 3 1886 Aug-1887 Oct London letter-book

9 4 1890 Mar-Dec London letter-book

9 5 1890 Dec-1891 Nov London letter-book

9 6 1892 Nov-1893 Aug London letter-book

9 7 1894 Jul-1895 Oct London letter-book

9 8 1895 Oct-1897 Sep London letter-book

9 9 1897 Sep-1899 Jun London letter-book

9 10 1899 Oct-1900 Jun London letter-book

10 1 1900 Jun-1902 Jul London letter-book

10 2 1904 Oct-1907 Jan London letter-book

10 3 1907 Feb-1911 Jul London letter-book

10 4 1911 Jul-1914 Jun London letter-book

10 5 1914 Jun-1917 May London letter-book

10 6 1917 May-1919 Sep London letter-book

Subseries D: Regular Books 11 1 1904 Dec-1905 Apr Letter book #53

11 2 1905 Apr-Jul Letter book #54

11 3 1905 Jul-Oct Letter book #55

11 4 1905 Oct-1906 Jan Letter book #56

11 5 1906 Jan-Jun Letter book #57

Box Volume Dates Description

12 1 1907 May-Jul Letter book #63

12 2 1907 Jul-Oct Letter book #64

12 3 1907 Oct-Nov Letter book #65

12 4 1907 Nov-1908 Jan Letter book #66

12 5 1908 Jan Letter book #67

12 6 1908 Jan-Feb Letter book #68

12 7 1908 Feb-Jun Letter book #69

12 8 1908 Jun-Aug Letter book #70

12 9 1908 Aug-Oct Letter book #71

12 10 1908 Oct-Nov Letter book #72

13 1 1912 May-Feb Regular book #90

13 2 1912 Jun-Oct Regular book #92

13 3 1912 Oct-1913 Jan Regular book #93

13 4 1913 Jan-Mar Regular book #94

13 5 1913 Mar-May Regular book #95

13 6 1913 Aug-Oct Regular book #97

14 1 1913 Oct-1914 Jan Regular book #98

14 2 1914 Jan-Mar Regular book #99

14 3 1914 Mar-Jun Regular book #100

14 4 1914 Jun-Sep Regular book #101

Box Volume Dates Description

14 5 1914 Sep-Nov Regular book #102

14 6 1914 Nov-1915 Jan Regular book #103

14 7 1915 Feb-Apr Regular book #104

14 8 1915 Apr-Jun Regular book #105

15 1 1915 Jun-Aug Regular book #106

15 2 1915 Aug-Nov Regular book #107

15 3 1915 Nov-1916 Feb Regular book #108

15 4 1916 Feb-Apr Regular book #109

15 5 1916 May-Jul Regular book #110

15 6 1916 Jul-Oct Regular book #111

15 7 1916 Oct-1917 Jan Regular book #112

15 8 1917 Jan-Apr Regular book #113

16 1 1917 Apr-Jun Regular book #114

16 2 1917 Jun-Aug Regular book #115

16 3 1917 Aug-Oct Regular book #116

16 4 1917 Oct-1918 Jan Regular book #117

16 5 1918 Jan-Feb Regular book #117-A

16 6 1918 Feb-May Regular book #118

16 7 1918 May-Sep Regular book #119

Box Volume Dates Description

Subseries E: Press Books 17 1 1878-1890 Samuel French and Son – General press book [inventory included, bulk 1878-1882]

17 2 1888-1889 “Little Lord Fauntleroy” press book

17 3 1892-1896 Lillian Russell Opera Co. press book – New York to San Francisco

17 4 1896-1897 “A Fool of Fortune” press book

17 5 1930-1931 Pressbook: “Green Grow the Lilacs” [bulk]; “Roadside”; “Iron Dish"

Subseries F: Miscellaneous Bound Volumes 17 6 1863-1870 Augustin Daly copyright documentation

17 7 1870-1925 Augustin Daly copyright documentation (Library of Congress)

17 8 c. 1879 Dramatic Authors’ Society Provincial Tariff – Third Issue

32 1 1898-1953 “Copyrights” [list of Samuel French copyright holdings]

Subseries G: Miscellaneous Letter Books 18 1 1885-1888 Grand Opera House letter book

18 2 1887 Aug-1890 Feb Broadway Theatre Co. letter book

18 3 1889 Apr-1890 Jun Madison Square Garden letter book

18 4 1899-1901 Theatre Royal Drury Lane letter book

18 5 1890 Jun-1891 Jun Madison Square Garden letter book

18 6 1913 Dec-1916 May “The New Henrietta” letter book

Box Volume Dates Description

18 7 1914 Mar-Dec “Officer 666” letter book

18 8 1915 Jan-1916 Nov “Officer 666” letter book

18 9 1915 Mar-Dec American Play Company book #1

19 1 1873 Oct-1876 Jun Letter book

19 2 1876 Sep-1877 Mar Letter book

19 3 1877 Mar-1878 Feb Letter book

19 4 1877 Oct-1878 Sep Letter book

19 5 1878 Sep-1879 Sep Letter book

19 6 1879 Sep-1880 Oct Letter book

19 7 1880 Oct-1881 Aug Letter book

19 8 1881 Aug-1882 Aug Letter book

20 1 1882 Sep-1883 Feb Letter book

20 2 1884 Oct-1885 Apr Letter book

20 3 1885 May-1886 Jan Letter book

20 4 1887 Jan-Oct Letter book

20 5 1887 Mar-1888 Oct Letter book

20 6 1887 Oct-1888 Sep Letter book

20 7 1889 Nov-1890 Mar Letter book

20 8 1890 Mar-Aug Letter book

21 1 1890 Aug-1891 Jan Letter book

Box Volume Dates Description

21 2 1892 Dec-1893 Aug Letter book

21 3 1883 Sep-1884 Feb Letter book

21 4 1893 Nov-1894 Mar Letter book

22 1 1894 Mar-Jul Letter book

22 2 1894 Jul-Nov Letter book

22 3 1894 Nov-1895 Mar Letter book

22 4 1895 May-Jul Letter book

22 5 1895 Jul-1896 Jan Letter book

22 6 1896 Jan-Sep Letter book

22 7 1896 Sep-1897 May Letter book

Box Folder Dates Description

Subseries A: Augustin Daly Contracts and Correspondence 23 1 1882-1883 Augustin Daly and Felix Bloch

23 2 1884 Jan-Aug Augustin Daly and Felix Bloch

23 3 1884 Sep-Dec Augustin Daly and Felix Bloch

23 4 1885 Mar-Oct Augustin Daly and Felix Bloch

23 5 1885 Nov-Dec Augustin Daly, Felix Bloch, and Samuel French

23 6 1886 Augustin Daly and Felix Bloch

23 7 1887 Augustin Daly and Felix Bloch

23 8 1888-1890 Augustin Daly and Felix Bloch

23 9 1893-1897 Augustin Daly and Felix Bloch

23 10 n.d. [1884-1888] Augustin Daly and Felix Bloch

23 11 n.d. Undated contract with J.H. Rosenthal

23 12 1886-1893 Contracts with Franz von Schoenthan

23 13 1872-1880 General contracts

23 14 1889-1891 General contracts and correspondence

23 15 1892-1893 General contracts and correspondence

23 16 1894-1895 General contracts and correspondence

23 17 1896-1897 General contracts and correspondence

23 18 1885-1888 French contracts

23 19 1889-1891 French contracts

Box Folder Dates Description

23 20 1888-1899 Correspondence on the play “Sapho”

23 21 1903-1915 Misc. documents, 1903-1915

23 22 1912 Contract between Joseph Daly and Charles Dillingham

23 19 1939 Report on status of current Daly copyright holdings (1939) [includes comprehensive list of registered plays, c. 1870- 1915]

Subseries B: Play documentation by date 24 1a 1877, 1898 Charles Wyndham (adapter): “The Pink Dominos” (English adaptation of the French “Les Dominos Roses” by Alfred Delacour and Alfred Hennequin)

24 1 1878, 1892 R.M. Field (producer): “Diplomacy” (translation of the French “Dora” by Victorien Sardou)

24 2 1878, 1880 Bronson Howard (author): “Lillian’s Last Love”; “Only a Tramp”

24 3 1885 James Mortimer (author): “Polly the Pet of the Regiment” (Edward Solomon, composer)

24 4 1886, 1901 Bronson Howard (author): “The Henrietta”

24 5 1887-1889, 1898 Frances Hodgson Burnett (author): “Little Lord Fauntleroy”

24 6 1890 Unknown: “Doctor Bill” (by Albert Carré) – Performance Contract

24 7 1891-1892 Various: “La Cigale” (written by Henri Chivot and Alfred Duru; music composed by Edmond Audran)

24 8 1891-1892 Richard Mansfield (author): Unknown Production

24 9 1892 Various: “The Silver King” (by Henry Arthur Jones and Henry Herman)

Box Folder Dates Description

24 10 1894 Clotilde Graves (author, aka Clo Graves): “Dr. and Mrs. Neill”

24 11 1894 Charles Klein and Harrison Grey Fiske (co-authors): “The District Attorney”

24 12 1896 William Greet (manager): “The Gay Parisienne,” aka “The Girl from Paris” (George Dance, author; Ivan Caryll, composer)

24 13 1898, 1901 Bronson Howard (author): “Shenandoah”

24 14 1901-1903 George Ade (author): “The Sultan of Sulu”

24 15 1901-1904 Herbert Darnley (author): “Mr. Wix of Wickam” (music by Herbert Darnley and George Everard); “The Merry Mormon” (co-written with Wal Pink, music by Darnley); “Chang” (music by John C. Shepard)

24 16 1902 J. Russell Bogue (author): “A Trip to Blackpool”; “A Fisherman’s Daughter”

24 17 1902 J. Dobson Clyde (author): “A Man in a Thousand”

24 18 1902 Tom Craven (author): “Half-Mast High”

24 19 1902 Robert A. Cuthbert (author): “A Vow of Vengeance”; “The Queen of Diamonds”

24 20 1902 Brandon Ellis (author): “Sappho” (adaptation of Alphonse Daudet book); “A Fatal Crown” (co-authored by James Bell); “Through the World”; “Beneath the Stars”

24 21 1902 Lewis Gilbert and T.W. Ranson (co-authors): “A Faithful Friend”

24 22 1902 James Steward Machale [?] (author): “The Modern Miracle”

Box Folder Dates Description

24 23 1902 Kennedy Miller (manager): Communications relating to rights of all J.W. Whitbread plays

24 24 1902 Fred Moule (author): “The Life that Kills”

24 25 1902 Edward Neville (author): “The Anarchist Terror”

24 26 1902 T.R. Nugent (author): “The Web of Fate”

24 27 1902 Morten Powell (manager): Unidentified plays.

24 28 1902 John F. Preston (manager?): “Through the Divorce Court”; “Ancestors of the Crown”; “Secrets”; “Rich and Poor of London”; “Nell Gwynne”; “Lady Godiva”; “Soldiers of the Queen”

24 29 1902 Harry J. Snelson (manager): “Soldiers of the Queen” (by Max Goldberg); “True to the Core” (by A.R. Slous)

24 30 1902 Horace Stanley (author?): “The 10-30 Down Express”

24 31 1902 Matt Wilkinson (author): “Saturday Night in London”

24 32 1902-1903 Frank Bateman (author): “At War with Heaven”; “From Scotland Yard (co-written with John Douglass)

24 33 1902-1903 Oswald Brand (author): “Dr. Nikola” (co-written with Ben Landeck); “Oliver Twist”; “Little Nell, or, Dickens’ Old Curiosity Shop”

24 34 1902-1903 J. Harold Carson (manager): “Who’s Brown?” (Frank Wyatt, author)

24 35 1902-1903 Frank Denman-Wood (author): “A Voice from the Grave” (co-written with S. Planche)

24 36 1902-1903 W.L. Dobell (manager): “The Great Detective” (written by Haddington Tamplin)

Box Folder Dates Description

24 37 1902-1903 Fred S. Jennings (author): “Why Woman Sins” (co-written with W.P. Sheen)

24 38 1902-1903 John Mills (author): “Hearts of Erin”; “A Crimson Crime”; “Deception”

24 39 1902-1903 Frank Stuart (manager): “The Curate” (by Rass Challis)

24 40 1902-1903 Henry Swinerd (manager): “Dare-Devil Dorothy” (by Wilfred Carr; music by Sparrow Harris)

24 41 1902-1904 Frank Adair (author, aka Riada): “The Painted Woman”; “Sweethearts and Wives”

24 42 1903 Ridgewood Barrie (author): “A She Devil”

24 43 1903 Montague Beaudyn and E. Carter Livesey (authors): “A Traitor Prince”

24 44 1903 Albert H. Clarke (author): “Wings of Wealth”

24 45 1903 Charles Darrell (author): “The Power and the Glory”; “Defender of the Faith”

24 46 1903 Forbes Dawson (author): “Dead Men’s Shoes”

24 47 1903 W.H. Dearlove (author): “Cissy”

24 48 1903 W.G. Duncan (manager): “The Best Must Win”; “For the Woman He Loves” (both co-authored by Myles Wallerton and Francis Gilbert)

24 49 1903 Lionel Ellis (author): “The Right Man”

24 50 1903 Charles Freeman (author): “The White Demon”

24 51 1903 Edward Graham-Falcon (author?): “The Lady Cyclist”

Box Folder Dates Description

24 52 1903 James Hewson (author): “A Marked Man” [bulk]; “For the Sake of a Woman”; “Thou Art the Man”; “Recalled to Life”; “Why we Parted”; “A Past Redeemed”; “Manhood”

24 53 1903 Bronson Howard (author): Unknown play

24 54 1903 F. Jarman (author): “Under the Czar”; “In Dark Siberia”; “The Rebel’s Wife”; “At Foot[?] of the Altar”

24 55 1903 F.G. Kimberly (manager): “Bound to Win”; “A Sister’s Sin” (both written by Mrs. F.G. Kimberly)

24 56 1903 Fred J. Kirke (author): “A Guilty Inheritance” (Alfred Rousby, co-author); “In Old Madrid” (W.T. Clifford, co- author); “Our Sailor Lad”

24 57 1903 John Leopold (author): “Frivolty”

24 58 1903 McLeod Loader (author): “The Greatest Scoundrel Living”

24 59 1903 Fawcett Lomax (manager): “Shamus” (George Roberts, author)

24 60 1903 Richard Lord and W. Armstrong (co-authors): “A Daughter’s Love”

24 61 1903 David McFarlane (manager): “Good Luck” (by Oswalle Silverstone)

24 62 1903 Alice Raynor (formerly Alice Howell-Poole; widow of the author): “The Master Passion”; “The Peacemaker”; other unnamed plays (all by Howell Poole)

24 63 1903 Clifford Rean (author): “A Son of Satan”

24 64 1903 Edward T. Ward (manager): “Man and Wife” (by Walter Howard); “We Are But Human” (by Nita Rae)

24 65 1903 Ernest F. Welch (author): “A Soldier’s Honor”

Box Folder Dates Description

24 66 1903 Harold Whyte (author): “Women of London” [bulk]; “Tempted to Sin”; “True to the Queen”; “The Pleasures of London”; “The Red Terror”

24 67 1903 James Willard (author): “A Woman of Pleasure”

24 68 1903 T.E. Worth (author): “In the King’s Name”

24 69 1903-1904 Charles H. Phelps (author): “The Blind Foundling” [bulk]; “Man’s Inhumanity”; “One Woman’s Wickedness”

24 70 1906 W.W. Woods (unknown): “A Woman’s Victory” (unknown author)

24 71 1909 Various: “Morocco Bound” (Arthur Branscombe, author)

24 72 c. 1912 Tom Terriss (author): “Scrooge”

24 73 1913-1915 Marie Doran (author) and others: “Tempest and Sunshine” – Documentation for legal battle over copyright.

24 74 1914 Various: “Officer 666” (by Augustin MacHugh) – Performance contracts (1914)

24 75 1915 Various: “Officer 666” (by Augustin MacHugh) – Performance contracts (1915)

24 76 1916-1918 Various: “Officer 666” (by Augustin MacHugh) – Performance contracts (1916-1918)

24 77 1919-1923 Various: “Officer 666” (by Augustin MacHugh) – Performance contracts (1919-1923)

24 78 1927 Kenyon Nicholson (author) and others: “Tell Me Your Troubles” – Performance contracts and correspondence

24 78a 1927-1930 Thomas R. Edwards (estate manager): Documents and correspondence concerning estate of Margaret O. Edwards

Box Folder Dates Description

24 79 1930 Paul Green (author): “Tread the Green Grass” – Performance contracts

24 80 1930-1932 Unknown: “Green Grow the Lilacs” (Lynn Riggs, author) – Magazine reviews and short bio of author

24 81-84 1930-1932 Unknown: “Green Grow the Lilacs” (Lynn Riggs, author) – Assorted newspaper clippings (4 folders)

24 84a 1934 Thomas M. Russell (attorney): Correspondence regarding rights for plays held by the John J. Kelly Estate

24 85 n.d. Roy Cochrane (author): “Held with Honor”

24 86 n.d. E. Vivian Edmonds (author): “A Silent Foe”

24 87 n.d. Herbert Fuller (manager?): “Passion of Life”; “A Triple Vengeance”

24 88 n.d. Jerold Heather (author?): “Midst Shot and Shell”; “The Lass that Loves a Sailor”; “The Slave Girl”

24 89 n.d. Arthur Pickett (author): “The Chances”

24 90 n.d. Rosaline Scott Watson (manager): “The Scarlet Woman” (C.S. Beaulieu, author)

24 91 n.d. Unknown: List of Edward E. Kidder plays

25 1 1954 Edward E. Colton (lawyer): Negotiating payments for “New Faces” (Leonard Sillman, author?)

25 2 1957 Charles Adams (unknown): Storyline summary of “Penny Pringle” (unknown author)

25 3 1968 Laurie Colwin (unknown): “The Soldiers” (by Rolf Hochhuth; see also: Stage-setting and scenery for “The Soldiers” oversize folder)

Box Folder Dates Description

Map case 6 Drawer 12 Blueprint stage-setting and scenery for “The Soldiers” (by Rolf Hochhuth) (oversize folder)

Map case 6 Drawer 12 Posters (oversize folder)

Subseries C: Play documentation by correspondent 25 4 1896-1983 George Ade, Gertrude Ahrens, Hardie Albright, Richard Aldrich, Ronald Alexander, Don Appell, Theodore Apstein, George Arliss

25 5 1896-1983 George P. Baker , Fred Ballard, Charles Barnard, Albert Barker, May H. Barry, Lewis Beach , George Beban , Albert Bein, Alladine Bell, Digby Bell, David Belasco, Dorothy Cheston Bennett, Benrimo, Fred G. Berger, Sadye A. Berman, Edwin Bjorkman, Adele Blood, Gustav Blum , De Witt Bodeen, Jessie Bonstelle, Hilliard Booth, William A. Brady, Wilbur Braun , George R. Brett, Harold Brighouse, George Broadhurst, Iva Broadhurst , Thomas W. Broadhurst, Joseph Brooks , John C. Brownell, Charles Burnham, R.H. Burnside, Richard Burton (American poet)

25 6 1896-1983 Robert Campbell, A.H. Canby, Fred Carmichael, Edward C. Carpenter , Haddon Chambers , C. Chapin, Frank E. Chase, J. & W. Chester Ltd., Josephine Cheney, Edward Chodorov, C.B. Chorpenning, Barrett H. Clark, Marguerite Clark, Charles H. Clarke, J.E.B. [?] Clarke, Colin Clements, Florence Ryerson Clements, Sada Cowan, Charles Coburn, George M. Cohan, Arthur Collins (Theatre Royal Drury Lane), Edward Fales Coward, Irene J. Crandall, William H. Crane, John Crittenden

25 7 1896-1983 James L. Daggett, Edward H. Daly, Test Dalton , George Darnroth, Essex Dane, William E. Danforth, Darcy & Wolford (Dealers in, American and Foreign Plays, Aristide d'Angelo, Allan Davis, Hallie Flanagan Davis, Owen Davis, Alexander Dean, Marian de Forest, Alfred de Liagre, Jr., Harry Delf, William C. Demille, Kurt Desch, Richard C. De Wolf, Mel Dinelli, Charles B. Dillingham (Globe Theatre New York), Allan Dinehart, George H.

Box Folder Dates Description

Doran (publisher), Marie Doran, Richard Dorney, Robert Downing, G.N. Dowsett, Theodore Dreiser, Sidney Drew, Philip Dunning, Francis Durbridge, H.A. Dusouchet

25 8 1896-1981 Fred Eastman, Walter P. Eaton, Buddy Ebsen, R. Bruce Edwards, Thomas R. Edwards, Ida Lublenski Ehrlich, P. Eldredge, Julian Eltinge, Fatha Engle, Lehman Engel, Henry Ephron, A.L. Erlanger, Edward Esmonde, Edwin Barlow Evans, Judith Evelyn, Lawrence Eyre

25 9 1914-1978 William Faversham, Walter Ferris, Robert Finch, Eleanor Fitzgibbons, Martin Flavin, Anne C. Flexner, John H. Floyd, James Forbes, Harriet Ford, Mary Forrest, Paul Foster, David E. Freeman, Ethel Hale Freeman, Ketti Frings, Daniel Frohman, Grace Livingston Furniss

25 10 1913-1977 Crosby Gaige, Eleanor Gates, Charles George, Alice Gerstenberg, Paul Gilmore, Norman Ginsbury, Susan Glaspell, James Gleason, Carl Glick, Austin Goetz, John Golden, Carter Goodloe, Arthur Goodman, Elizabeth Fuller Goodspeed, Mordecai Gorelick, John Graham, Harley Granville-Barker, Nicholas Stuart Gray, Patterson Greene, Sydney Grundy

25 11 1907-1983 Albert Hackett, James K. Hackett, Robert T. Haines, Forrest Halsey, Clayton Hamilton, Mary P. Hamlin, Henry B. Harris, Sam H. Harris, Cyril Harcourt, Joseph Hart, Joseph Hayes, A If. Hayman, Jack Heifi1er, Hugh Herbert, Sidney Herbert, Beatrice Herford, David Higgins, Arthur Hopkins, Alice M. Howard, Keble Howard, Glenn Hughes, Jos. H. Hughes

25 12 1916-1927 Edith J.R. Isaacs, Joseph Jefferson, Frances Jewett, Walter C. Jordan

25 13 1907-1967 Alice Kauser, George S. Kauffinan, Frank Keenan, George Kelly, Augusta Raymond Kidder, Edward E. Kidder, Rosamond Kimball, Cleves Kinkead, Klaw & Erlanger (theatrical managers), Lillian Klein, Frederick H. Koch, Frederick Kohner, C. Gordon Kurtz

Box Folder Dates Description

25 14 1907-1981 Mary Lasswell, J.G. Latham, Walter N. Lawrence (Madison Square Theatre), Emanuel Lederer, Margaret Cameron Lewis, Joseph C. Lincoln, Frederick Lonsdale, Katharine Lord, Charles Lovenberg, Frank R. Lowes

25 15 1907-1983 William McCleery, Elizabeth A. McFadden, Frank McGlynn, Augustin MacHugh,, Constance D'Arcy MacKay, Archibald Macleish (form letter regarding copyright deposit copies), F.F. MacKay, Percy MacKaye, Clare Tree Major, Albert Maltz, David Mamet, Albert Mannheimer, J. H. Manners, Laurette Taylor Manners, Beatrice [Mrs. Richard] Mansfield, Victor Mapes, Josephine [Preston] Peabody Marks, Brander Matthews, Cyril Maude, Frederick May, Margaret Mayo, Isabelle J. Meaker, Roi Cooper Megrue, Leonard Melfi, George Middleton, Alice D.G. Miller, Victor Moore, Carlyle Moore, Malcolm Morley, William Morris (literary agent), Oliver Morosco, Martha Morten, Slawomir Mrozek, Michael Myerberg

25 16 1907-1954 Josephina Niggli, Eille Norwood,, Jack Norworth, Elliott Nugent, Richard L. O'Connell, Jr., Geoffrey O'Hara, Nance O'Neil, Peggy O'Neil

25 17 1899-1981 Louis N. Parker, Stewart Parker, John Patrick, Robert Patrick, Edward A. Paulton,, Rachel Field Pederson, Louis Sanders Perkins, Max Pfeffer, Raymond V. Phelan, William Lyon Phelps, Walter S. Phillips (Lakeside Press), Eugene Pillot, Channing Pollock, Cole Porter (postcard signed by his secretary), George Haven Putnam (publisher), Arthur Hobson Quinn, Elise West Quaife

25 18 1912-1983 Samson Raphaelson, William Redmund, Mark Reed, Dore Reich, Helen [Mrs. Ogdon] Rogers Reid, Paul R. Reynolds, Arthur Richman, Lynn Riggs (with unsigned corrected typescript of a preface to a, reading edition of "Green Grow the Lilacs"), Barbara Robinson, May Waldron Robson, Ann Ronell, Edward E. Rose, Aurania Rouverol, John W. Rumsey (American Play Company, Inc.), Morrie Ryskind

Box Folder Dates Description

25 19 1907-1980 Maurice V. Samuels, Franklin H. Sargent, Gerald Savory, Jacob J. Schwebel, Charles Scribner's Sons, Edgar Selden, Edgar Selwyn, Tibor Serly, John Laurence Seymour, William Seymour, A.B. Shiffrin, Marion Short, J.J. Shubert, Lee Shubert, Milton I. Shubert, Otis Skinner, Dodie Smith, Grace Spencer Smith, Harry James Smith, Henry Clapp Smith, Edith Smith, Winchell Smith, E.H. Sothern, Ralph Spence, Bella Spewack, Mary Gibbs Spooner, John Kendrick Stafford, Lynn Starling,, Anita and Elaine Steiger, Grant Stewart, Rosalie Stewart, Carol Stone, David Storey, Austin Strong, Preston Sturges, Alfred Sutro, Elizabeth Swain, Norma Lee Swartout, Mark Swan

25 20 1907-1975 Tom Taggart, Samuel Taylor, Tom Terriss, A. E. Thomas, Adelaide Thurston, Charlotte Tittell, Gertrude Tonkonogy, Dan Totheroh, Shepard Traube, Amelie Rives Troubetzkoy, Julia R. Tutwiler

25 21 1906-1983 Yale M. Udoff, John Garrett Underhill, Sophie K. Underwood, Gladys Unger, Maurice Valency, Joan Vatsek, Ann Van Vechten (Secretary, Society of American Dramatists and Composers), Allen Vincent, Charles F. Vincent

25 22 1907-1982 Stuart Walker, Frederick Warde, Mrs. Booker T. Washington, Dale Wasserman, L. Lawrence Weber, Arthur Weld, Michael Weller, Arnold Wesker, John Wexley, Bert Wheeler, Percival Wilde, Ella Crane Wilkinson, Francis Wilson (document signed), Percy Winter, Herbert H. Winslow, Tom Wise, Peggy Wood, Fred W. Woitke, Cecelia M. Young

25 23-24 1896-1983 unidentified (2 folders)

25 25 1896-1983 photographs

Subseries D: Lillian Russell Opera Company

Box Folder Dates Description

26 1 1890-1892 Lillian Russell Opera Co. founding contract and later correspondence

26 2 1892 Aug-Sep Accounts and receipts

26 3 1892 Sep Salaries and Box-Office statements

26 4 1892 Oct Accounts and receipts

26 5 1892 Oct Salaries and Box-Office statements

26 6 1892 Nov Accounts and receipts

26 7 1892 Nov Salaries and Box-Office statements

26 8 1892 Dec Accounts and receipts

26 9 1892 Dec Salaries and Box-Office statements

26 10 1893 Jan Accounts and receipts

26 11 1893 Jan Salaries

26 12 1893 Feb Salaries

26 13 1893 Mar Salaries

26 14 1893 Apr Accounts and receipts

26 15 1893 Apr Salaries and Box-Office statements

26 16 1893 May Accounts and receipts

26 17 1893 May Salaries and Box-Office statements

26 18 1893 Jun Accounts and receipts

26 19 1893 Jun Salaries and Box-Office statements

26 20 1893 Jul Accounts and receipts

Box Folder Dates Description

26 21 1893 Jul Salaries and Box-Office statements

26 22 1893 Aug Accounts and receipts

26 23 1893 Aug Salaries and Box-Office statements

26 24 1893 Sep Accounts and receipts

26 25 1893 Sep Salaries and Box-Office statements

26 26 n.d. Accounts and receipts

26 27 n.d. Salaries and Box-Office statements

26 28 1891-1892 Lillian Russell Opera Co. Contracts

Subseries E: American Theatre Company Mortgage 27 1 1892-1894 American Theatre Company Mortgage

Subseries F: Events 27 2 1970 American College Theatre Festival

27 3 1981 Neil Simon Hofstra commencement speech

27 4 1991-1992 Schedules for the New Dramatists

Subseries G: Miscellaneous Material 27 6 1847-1907 Miscellaneous newspaper clippings

27 7 c. 1875 “Catalogue of Dramatic Pieces (hitherto known as Lacy’s List) wholly or in part the property of Samuel French, and which cannot be performed without the permission of his Sole Agent.”

27 8 1887-1957 Miscellaneous business records

Box Folder Dates Description

27 9 1923-1925 Samuel French Co. publicity materials

27 10 1950 Samuel French Co.: “The House of Plays” [list of plays compiled for UNESCO, organized by subject matter as might be appropriate for UNESCO audiences]

27 11 1960 Oct. The Anta Spotlight, Issue VIII – a backstage bulletin for the Group Members of the American National Theatre and Academy [a publication that includes technical details and general information on 21 theaters and their recent success

27 12 n.d. Corse Payton’s “Producer’s Play Co.” play list

Box Folder Dates Description

Subseries A: Letters from Samuel French and Wentworth Hogg to T.H. French 27 1 1886-1887 Samuel French to T.H. French [bulk 1887Apr-Dec]

27 2 1888 Jan-Apr Samuel French to T.H. French

27 3 1888 Jun-Dec Samuel French to T.H. French

27 4 1889 Jan-Jul Samuel French to T.H. French

27 5 1889 Aug-Dec Samuel French to T.H. French

27 6 1890 Jan-May Samuel French to T.H. French

27 7 1890 Jun-Dec Samuel French to T.H. French

27 8 1891 Samuel French to T.H. French

27 9 1892 Samuel French to T.H. French

27 10 1893 Samuel French to T.H. French

27 11 1894 Jan-Jul Samuel French to T.H. French

27 12 1887 Aug-Dec Wentworth Hogg to T.H. French

27 13 1888 Wentworth Hogg to T.H. French

27 14 1889 Wentworth Hogg to T.H. French

27 15 1890 Jan-Apr Wentworth Hogg to T.H. French

27 16 1890 Jul-Sep Wentworth Hogg to T.H. French

27 17 1891 Wentworth Hogg to T.H. French

27 18 1892 Wentworth Hogg to T.H. French

27 19 1893 Wentworth Hogg to T.H. French

Box Folder Dates Description

27 20 1894 Wentworth Hogg to T.H. French

27 21 [c.1887-1889] October accounts for Samuel French Co. from unknown Samuel French to T.H. French correspondence

27 22 [c. 1888] Telegrams from unknown Samuel French to T.H. French correspondence

27 23 1890-1893 Newspaper clippings from unknown Samuel French to T.H. French correspondence

27 24 n.d. Production advertisements from unknown Samuel French to T.H. French correspondence

Subseries B: Letters from Marie French to Samuel French 27 25 1887-1890, n.d Marie French to Samuel French

Subseries C: Letters from T.R. Edwards to T.H. French 27 26 1902 May-Aug T.R. Edwards to T.H. French

27 27 1902 May-Aug Copies of letters to and from T.R. Edwards [likely from T.R. Edwards letters to T.H. French]

27 28 1902 May-Aug Samuel French Co. outgoing payment receipts [likely from T.R. Edwards letters to T.H. French]

27 29 1902 May-Aug Records of payments made to Samuel French Co. [likely from T.R. Edwards letters to T.H. French]

Subseries D: Miscellaneous Correspondence 27 30 1884, 1889 Samuel French and T.H French to T.R. Edwards

27 31 1889 Mar-Apr Samuel French and Wentworth Hogg to T.R. Edwards

27 32 1892-1893 Samuel French, T.H. French, and Wentworth Hogg to T.R. Edwards

Box Folder Dates Description

27 33 1890-1893 Correspondence regarding management of the French Ranch [between Samuel French, Sawyer French, and Plez James]

27 34 1887-1891, n.d. Letters to Samuel French and T.H. French from various correspondents

27 35 1887-1891 Letters from Samuel French to various correspondents

27 36 1888-1893 Letters from T.H. French to various correspondents

Search Terms

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Subjects • Baker’s Plays (Publisher) • Baker’s plays for amateurs • Bloch, Felix, d. ca. 1890 • Daly, Augustin, 1838-1899 • Davis, Owen, 1874-1956 • French, Samuel, 1821-1898 • Hamilton, Clayton Meeker, 1881-1946 • Madison Square Garden (New York, N.Y.) • Samuel French, Inc. • Samuel French Ltd. • Samuel French & Son • Theatrical publishing •